Sole-molding machine.



R. F. KNIGHT.

SOLE MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Me. 4. 19!].

1,282,434., Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

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Zdmess I M W W R. F. KNEGHT.

SOLE momma mama.

APPLICATIGN FILED DEC. 4.!917- 1,2,%3%, Patented Get. 22, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- iii RALPH F. KNIGHT, 013 BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOLE-MOLDING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH F. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sole-Molding Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to sole molding machines and more particularly to the mechanism employed in connection with such machines for clamping the sole in position upon the supporting mold.

It is customary in this type of machine to provide mechanism for clamping the flat sole to the supporting mold after the sole has been properly located upon the mold and prior to the movement of the latter'into a position of pressure in order that the sole shall not be displaced when engaged between the two molds.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of sole clamping mechanism which does not interfere with the normal operation of the molds and which firmly grips the sole to insure against any longitudinal or lateral displacement relative to the molds.

WVith this object in view, then, a feature of the invention contemplates the provision of a plurality of plungers adapted to engage with the end of the sole at separated points, and means for permitting an independent yielding movement of each plunger when the latter engages with the sole to compensate for possible irregularities in the thickness of different portions of the sole.

Still further features consist in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a sole molding machine in which the present in vention is embodied; Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating an elevation of the improved form of solo clamp shown in operative relation to the sole; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the clamp shown in Fig. 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the inven- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Serial No. 205,285.

tion is shown more particularly in connection with a machine of the type shown and described in the pending application of Stewart, Serial No. 47,589, filed August 26, 1915. This machine comprises the usual supporting mold 10 mounted upon a table 11 which in turn is carried upon a vertically movable head 12 actuated through the toggle lever 13 to move the supporting mold toward a stationary pressing mold 15. The supporting mold is normally positioned out of alinement with the pressing mold, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and is moved into alinement with the pressing mold through a horizontal movement of the table 11 imparted by an arm 16 connected with a curved cam slot 17 formed in a lever 18 pivoted upon the frame and connected yieldin ly with the table, this construction causing a horizontal movement of the table to take place upon a vertical movement of the head 12. In this machine the sole is clamped to the supporting mold 10 at the heel end by a gripping device indicated at 20, which is moved into operative position by a cam wheelQl actuated manually by a hand lever 22 and suitable intermediate connections. As noted in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the gripping device comprises an arm 24 fulcrumed at 25 and having a second arm 26 connected thereto which is engaged by the cam whel 21 to swing the arm 24 into an operative position when one of the projections upon cam wheel engages with the end of the arm 26. This manual actuation of the heel clamp takes place after the sole has been properly positioned upon the supporting mold 10 and prior to the starting of the machine. After the sole has been properly molded the gripping device is released by a second actuation of the handle 22 which turns the cam wheel into a position in which the spring 27 is permitted to elevate the arm 2-1 and move the gripping device into an inoperative position.

According to the present invention the sole is gripped at the heel end by a clamp which engages with the face of the sole at a plurality of separated points to clamp the sole to the surface of the supporting mold. In the preferred form of the invention the heel clamp comprises a pair of plungers which are adapted to contact with the surface of the sole at opposite sides of the heel end and are independently yieldable to insure a uniform gripping action at both points of engagement, independently of irregularities in the thickness of the sole. This type of sole clamp effectually prevents either lat eral or longitudinal displacement of the sole during the molding operation. The sole supporting mold 10 is detachably connected to the table 11 through a pin 30 engaging in a corresponding recess formed in the mold and a stud 31 received in a longitudinal slot 32 formed in the rear end of the mold. The heel clamp is provided with a pair of plungers 34 and 35 which are adapted to clamp the sole to the surface of the mold 10 upon opposite sides of the slot 32, as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. These plungers are slidingly supported in opposite sides of an enlarged head 37 formed upon the end of the supporting arm 24. The plungers are caused to yieldingly engage with the sole through a spring 38 connecting both plungers with the arm 24 and designed to permit a yielding movement of each plunger independently of the other. As shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, this spring comprises arms 39, each extending from a convolution 40 and having its free end received in a transverse slot formed in the upper end of one of the plungers. The two convolutions of the spring are connected at their inner ends by a return bend 42 which is clamped at the end opposite the convolutions beneath the head of a stud 43 threadedly secured in the arm 24. The arms 39 extend from the lower side of the convolutions A0 of the spring and normally rest upon the upper face of the head 37 to locate the plungers in the depressed position shown in the drawings and if the pressure upon either or both of the plungers is sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring each arm tends to tighten the convolution connected with the opposite end. It will be observed that with this construction the single spring in effect performs the function of two separate springs for independently depressing the plungers, which are thereby permitted to firmly engage two separated points upon the sole independently of the thickness of the sole. 7

While it ispreferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so far as specified in the claims, and may be changed or modified without departing from the broader features of the invention.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A molding machine comprising a sole supporting mold and a clamp adapted to engage with and clamp the sole to the mold, comprising a supporting arm, a plurality of plungers carried by the arm and adapted to engage with the sole at separated points, and means for yieldingly and independently pressing each plunger into engagement with the sole. 1

2. A molding machine, comprising a sole supporting mold, and a clamp adapted to engage with the heel end of the sole and clamp the latter to the mold and comprising bodily movable means for yieldingly engaging with the sole at a plurality of spaced points.

3. A sole clamp, comprising a supporting arm, a pair of plungers carried by the arm, and a single spring connecting both plungers with the arm and designed to permit a yielding movement of each ently of the other.

4. A sole clamp, comprising a supporting arm, a pair of plungers slidingly received in the end of the arm, and a spring comprising two convolutions, a return bend con necting the convolutions, arms extending from opposite sides of the convolutions and connected at their free ends to the plungers and means for connecting the return bend to the supporting arm.

RALPH F. KNIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

plunger independ- 

